St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-01-31
A Large Mass Meeting at the Opera
House in the Interest Of High
License.
The Speakers Hint at Bribery of the
Legislature and Denounee Things
BY Resolution.
Rev. A. w. Edwards Emphatic Ser
mon Against High License or
ANY License.
Interview With Hon. John R' Wilson.
of Dakota--Relfcs of the Carn1-
yal--Press Club.
THEY talk HIGH LICE NSE.

speecaes by Gov. McGiiI. Gen. Metz
tietOn, Father STANLEY and others,
and Resolutions adopted.
In response to the call of yesterday morn
ing. an audience of about 1000 people,
friends and supporters OF the high license
movement, assembled at the opera house.
Gov. McGill presided over the meeting, and
the stage was occupied by number OF
prominent citizens from all parts Of the
state.
The meeting was called to order at
o'clock, and quartette sang the Italian
HYMN, Gov. McGill made the opening ad-
dress. as follows:
This meeting was called for the purpose of
holding up the hands Of those men in the
legislature VINO were leading In the high
license movement and encouraging the
friends OF the cause in that body. When the
legislature first convened high license was
considered an assured fact, but there, has
been an apparent change-perh APPS more ap-
parent tnan real. lie liquor interests are
eplendidly organized, and are really in that
respect a worthy example to the law and
order people of this state. They have been
at work in the legislature, and have accom-
plished results which have alarmed the
friends OF nigh license. 1t is now desired
that we organize and do the work when has
been too much neglected. The time has
come 10 sift the wheat from the chaH. and
understand who are the friends and enemies
of this measure. tor myself l want
it PLAINLY understood that l am
in favor of high license. am
in favor of good government, in
favor of the best morality. and in favor OF
carrying out the pledges of the party on
whose ticket ran tor ONCE. The hepuoll-
can party IN convention pledged ItselI 10 the
policy of high liz ense. The issue was made
xverlf ne 0rfAt q
pie, conquering the opposition ir0m the lsa-
nor interests, which was foreseen before the
issue was made. In that contest we trl-
umphed, and now it would seem to me TO be
the duty OF that party 10 adhere to It's pledges
on this subject. l, Tor one, do not propose,
under any circumstances, at any time, TO re-
treat from that position, and L cannot under
stand how a legislature, elected on that issue,
can al this stage go back upon its promise.
The promises of great party have been
given out that if its members were elected it
would enact high license law in this state
On that promise votes were obtained from the
Democri tic party, many Democrats who be-
ieved in high license leaving their
party in that election to vote
with the Republican party. We
must be true to tnese obligations; we must be
true to those men who sustained US in the
last election. 1t was not altogether party
movement, but in this state the Republican
party was the only party to declare in favor
of high license. We are pledged to the
measure and the question now is, have we the
courage to fulfill our pledges? l believe the
legislature intends to pass the high license
law, but they have the right OF approval from
their constituents, and in furtherance OF that
idea this meeting has been cailed-that they
may know that there is public opinion back
OF them that will sustain them, and that will
Judge them If they fail to do their duty.
Gen. A. B. Nettleton, of Minneapolis,
was the next speaker. He said IN SUBJ
stance:
The legislature of two years ago was NOR
ally pied Ell to carry out the wishes of the
people on the high license question. 1t
proved absolutely false 10 the pledges on the
strength OF which its members were eecteds
Last fall a two-thir, S maj ority of the present
legislature was elected with the distinct un-
Outstanding That high license bill should be
passed. There should be no reason for the
calling of this meeting. A battle once fought
should not have to be fought over again.
But the powers OF the liquor men have been
at work, and it has become necessary to call
for the voice of the people 10 approve. They
want to give us S50U license for the cities OF
ST. Paul and Minneapolis. Five hundred
dollars, l say, would not be high license
for these cities. one thousand dollars is the
very lowest that the best public sentiment Of
Minnesota will warrant or accept. Another
objection is raised that high license would
drive out of business great number of citi
zens. They could do nothing better than
take q citizen out of the most destructive
and damnable vocation that God has ever
permitted man to indulge in.
Senator Nj. j. Daniels, of Rochester wa!
introduced. He said:
have been member Of the legislature
since 1888. In that year, with the assistance
of another member, I canvassed the house II
the interest of high license and had positiv,
assurances. either direct or implied, of owe
81 mo bOdV
port the measure We had every reason Il
believe that il would be carried, as it only re
CURED fit, Two votes to accomplish the re
suit. From some reason that l am unable t.
explain, one by one those loyal men wer
picked Off. aud in the morning they walke
into the capitol and made excuses WHY the
could not support the measure, but it is
remark;l bic fact that we discovered that mes
of those men were converted in the night
When l come before the present legislature
working i'll the interests of this bill. am me
with the same party. the same men and tn
same lobby that have met for the last fou
years--a Lobby that appears to be well organ
lied, and backed up by plenty of resource
and plenty Of ammunition. with large reserv
TO draw from. How is it with us?
Hon. Moses E. Capp. of Fergus Falls
attorney general of the state. was the mex
speaker:
AS citizens we met at the polls last fall anC
pronounced in favor of high license, protec
ton to the home and obedience to law. As
party we pronounced in favor of the sam
thing, and the chief executive of our state
upon the occasion OF his recent Inaugural
spoke in no uncertain terms upon this cues
ton. AS citizens we have met again, but nc
with the power of lallot, which for the tim
being has been laid aside Our representa-
tives in the legislature are to perform thos
duties which in the aggregate we cannot our
selves perform. They are our servants. t
obey our conmands-not to be petltoned. ]
they do not DOW pass the high licens
bill, in accordance with the desires G
the people, they will be unfaithfr
10 their trust, and tie people who eiecte
them should remember it. l want to add t
what Mr.. Daniels has said. that of all thos
members who were recreant to their trust il
'S3, only four can now claim seats in the leg
isature. / think the present bill will pass
Col II. G. Hicks, of Minneapolis, spoke
He said:
Those men who split hairs in the fgh
which is to come Off at the capitol on thi
high license question must be denounced q
towards. We will mark the roll-c all and tn
men who for any slight excuse shall deseI
the ranks of the true. or shall desert til
ranks of the men who represent the minority
must be consigned to future oblivion.
Father John Stanley, pastor of the Ca
thedral Catholic parish. spoke:
When invited to be present l could not Sa
no. for am in favor of high license frs
last and all the time, and l am in favor {
making the license just as high as 1t can
made, for the Internal traffic that is bein
licensed is doing more harm in this commul
Gty and in every other community whei
Iiouor is sold. than all other evils combines
When stand here as a Catholic priest l stan
upon my native ground. The Catholic churc
has Endorsed high license, and Bishop Ir
land whole life in the ministry has b ae
spent in cursing intenlperance, / look upC
the majority o men engaged in the saloo
business as most disreputable fellows. If thel
is any possible way Of getting them out
rhat h1SineSs in nod mol, name LET rs do 1